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Viral video shows BYD mega factory in China that’s bigger than San Francisco, 10 times the size of Tesla Gigafactory
Drone footage showcases BYD's massive electric vehicle factory in Zhengzhou, which will span 32,000 acres, dwarfing the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada.
Stunning drone footage has revealed the sheer scale of Chinese automaker BYD’s vast electric vehicle (EV) mega factory in Zhengzhou, Henan province, that is reportedly larger than the entire city of San Francisco.
The sprawling facility, currently under development in eight phases, is set to cover an astonishing 50 square miles (32,000 acres) upon completion - surpassing the size of San Francisco (46.9 square miles).
The BYD factory will also dwarf Tesla’s 4.5 square mile Gigafactory in Nevada, The Sun reported. BYD is emerging as one of Tesla’s biggest competitors, and its Zhengzhou mega factory will be over 10 times larger than the Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada, which is Tesla’s largest facility by land area.
BYD mega factory in China
Aerial footage that has gone viral online shows a network of high-rise buildings, production facilities, worker accommodations, and recreational spaces - including a football pitch and tennis courts. The drone footage also shows land where construction is yet to begin.
The facility will function like a city, with employees living and working onsite. “Asian factories are like small European towns. With their own bus lines, dormitories, recreation areas etc,” explained one LinkedIn user.
“Those 10 story buildings at the bottom of the video are dorms. It’s massive,” another person on Reddit pointed out.
According to China Daily, the factory, which employs about 60,000 workers as of early February, is undergoing a rapid recruitment drive. BYD hopes to onboard 20,000 more employees in the first quarter of 2025.
In fact, BYD is so keen to ramp up hiring that it has set up a dedicated recruitment site, complete with luggage storage facilities for job-seekers. Job seekers who pass their interviews and medical checks can quickly sign contracts, move into company dormitories, and begin work. Employee benefits include free accommodation and subsidized meals in the canteen.
